Ok. I have a confession to make. I really don’t like turkey. This is because my mother’s turkeys were, well, dry and tasteless. The upside was she made excellent gravy, so if you covered the turkey, mashed potatoes and stuffing with gravy you could enjoy your meal. I haven’t made a turkey for over 20 years, so I decided why not try to master this damn bird! They can’t all be tasteless, can they?
Enter the Crisp-Skinned Spatchcocked (Butterflied) Roast Turkey! Woah! I’ve spatchcocked chickens for grilling, but never a turkey. Although I appreciate tradition, I am hardly a traditionalist, so why not step immediately out of the box here. So rather than my 13.5 pound turkey taking 3.5 hours to roast, this one will be done at 450 degrees F for (get this) 80 minutes!! I will report back on this grand experiment on the next post.
I was raised with wiggly, canned cranberry sauce. This will simply not do. There are two non-negotiables at our Thanksgiving table, and one of these is Jezebel Sauce. Fresh cranberries, cooked with both brown and granulated sugar. When cooled, you add horseradish and Dijon mustard. It is absolutely fabulous! Great with virtually any poultry, beef or pork. But my favorite way to use it is with a turkey sandwich on ciabatta, with arugula. You can thank me later.
CRANBERRY JEZEBEL SAUCE
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup water
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 (12-ounce) bag fresh or frozen cranberries
3 tablespoons prepared horseradish
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Fresh mint sprigs (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS:
Combine the first 3 ingredients in a medium saucepan; stir well to dissolve. Bring to a boil over medium heat; add cranberries.
Return to a boil, and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Spoon into a bowl; let cool to room temperature.
Stir in horseradish and mustard; cover and chill.
Garnish with fresh mint.
Yields: 2.5 cups
“A moment of gratitude makes a difference in your attitude.” —Bruce Wilkinson
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